NGO Hiiukala

NGO Hiiukala is a society uniting fishermen, local municipality and other stakeholders of Hiiumaa island. Society’s aim is to support the traditions of coastal fisheries, with infrastructure and services, and diverse entrepreneurship that provides additional employment opportunities for coastal fishers. NGO Hiiukala was established in 2008. Now we have almost 100 members, most of them are fishermen, also municipality of Hiiumaa island and several NGO-s and companies. 

Hiiumaa island in Baltic sea is surrounded by relatively shallow though diverse waters, from the windy North coast facing the open sea, to the warmer and quieter sea of Väinameri in the South. Island inhabits 9500 people and can be reached from the mainland within 75 minutes of ferry ride. 

Marine life that inhabits our seas are just as diverse. Sea fish, such as Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras), european flounder (Platichthys flesus), garfish (Belone belone), european whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) , and also sea trout (Salmo trutta) can be caught from the colder open sea. Freshwater fish such as perch (Perca fluviatilis), northern pike (Esox lucius), roach (Rutilus rutilus) and orfe (Leuiscus idus) love the mild salty waters of the inner sea (Väinameri). Diversity creates favourable conditions for the local fish.

Fishing is possible all year round. Most of the winters are suitable for under-ice gillnet fishing. Early spring, when roach and orfe are on the move, the river banks become populated with anglers. During the summer heat certain fish swim to cooler and deeper waters, in order to return when the sea is colder again. The relatively small size of Hiiumaa gives the opportunity to choose a fishing spot relative to direction of the wind.